Iron Chef America

Challenger Michael Chiarello seeks redemption in his face off against Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian in this grudge match. Chef Chiarello lost to Iron Chef Zakarian in The Next Iron Chef: All-Stars. Judges are Neil Patrick Harris, Donatella Arpaia and David Burtka.

Michael Chiarello is an award-winning chef and owner of critically acclaimed Bottega restaurant in the Napa Valley. He made his mark by combining his Southern Italian roots with the distinctive hallmarks of Napa Valley living. From his earliest childhood experiences – created around his mother’s California kitchen with his extended Italian family of butchers, cheese makers and ranchers – Michael dreamed of becoming a chef one day. Decades later, he has realized his dream – and much more.

Michael has been a national television host of his own shows for more than a decade on PBS, Food Network and Cooking Channel, and he has appeared on the highest-rated food competition shows on television, as well. His Emmy Award®-winning show, Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, began in 2003 and still airs daily. In 2009 he took second place as a finalist on Bravo’s inaugural Top Chef Masters, and he has appeared as a judge on Top Chef and Top Chef Masters. In the fall of 2011, he will join another highly rated cooking show, The Next Iron Chef, also on Food Network. A popular celebrity guest chef, Michael is a regular contributor to NBC’s The Today Show, CBS’ The Early Show, Martha Stewart Living Radio, Regis & Kelly and the San Francisco Chronicle’s “Inside Scoop Voices” column. Michael lives among his Napa Valley vineyards with his wife and children.

This was a grudge match as Chef Chiarello was one of nine wannabe Iron Chefs taken down by Zakarian in last year’s Next Iron Chef competition. This time Chiarello and Zakarian tangle over a very difficult secret ingredient – scotch. The Chairman’s culinary curveball (this new element is STOOPID) was Scotch Bonnet chilies.

Chef Weitzman grew up just outside of Boston but has made her bones working in some of the most well respected kitchens in the Big Apple. That includes time spent working for chef Bobby Flay at Mesa Grill, Bolo and Bar Americain as well as ‘inoteca Restaurant. Pedigreed toque Rebecca Weitzman made her name thrilling Park Slopers with locavore plates at Thistle Hill Tavern (where she is still partner, though no longer head chef). After a brief stint at gourmand movie-theatercafé Indie Food and Wine, the CIA grad has turned up at the cheery Chelsea diner, sporting redwood paneling, U-shaped teal banquettes and a blown-up vintage photo of a trailer amid crisp fall foliage, plus an actual shiny Airstream trailer retrofitted to serve as a bar.

If Chef Rebecca looks familiar to Food Network viewers it’s because she competed on Chopped back in 2010 on an episode called “First Things Worst.” There she took home the win making a dessert that included baby bananas, coconut flakes, pumpernickel rye and soy sauce. Hopefully that experience will translate into a solid performance in Kitchen Stadium but it won’t be easy as Iron Chef Jose Garces will be waiting.

One of the youngest Michelin-starred chefs from Austria, chef Eduard Frauneder began his culinary career at a young age. In his preteens, he worked alongside his father in the multiple bakeries and pastry shops the family owned in Vienna.

Fast forward years later, Frauneder’s passion for food hasn’t waned and he’s managed to bring his home flavors to Alphabet City of all places.

Along with business partner Wolfgang Ban, they opened their second NYC restaurant Edi & the Wolf. The result is a rustic yet sophisticated Austrian bistro. We chatted with the chef about Austrian flavors, grapes and Oktoberfest. To learn more about Chef Eduard Frauneder there is a great interview with him HERE from metro.us.

Growing up in New York in the ‘80’s, Andrew Zimmerman’s childhood goal was to be a rock star. He pursued music into his early 20’s, supporting his dream by working in local restaurant kitchens. Over the years, he realized that he was a better cook than musician, and that his true calling was in the kitchen. He worked for nearly three years under Renato Sommelia, whom he cites as one of his strongest culinary mentors, and then enrolled in the prestigious French Culinary Institute. Zimmerman graduated first in his class in 2000 and never looked back.

After three years working on the East Coast, Zimmerman was ready to make a move. Drawn to Chicago by the abundance of world-class restaurants, he accepted a position at the Park Hyatt Chicago working alongside Sandro Gamba. In 2004, he met restaurateur Terry Alexander, who hired him as Executive Chef at MOD. From there, the duo opened widely acclaimed del Toro. Zimmerman followed that up with a stop at NoMI where he met restaurateur Emmanuel Nony, and the following year, Nony offered Zimmerman the executive chef position at Sepia.

Zimmerman’s cuisine at Sepia blends rustic and contemporary styles, with flavors influenced primarily by the Mediterranean and France. His food is direct and seasonally based, utilizing product from local and regional farms whenever possible. Under Zimmerman’s direction, Sepia received a sought-after star rating from the Michelin Guide in 2010.

Chef Zimmerman’s reputation is indeed impressive but so is Iron Chef Marc Forgione.

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Stuart in 80 Words or Less

Stuart is a celebrity chef, food activist and award-winning food writer. He penned the cookbooks Third Coast Cuisine: Recipes of the Gulf of Mexico, No Sides Needed: 34 Recipes To Simplify Life and Amigeauxs - Mexican/Creole Fusion Cuisine. He hosts two Internet cooking shows "Everyday Gourmet" and "Little Grill Big Flavor." His recipes have been featured in Current, Lagniappe, Southern Tailgater, The Kitchen Hotline and on the Cooking Channel.